Malls and your experiences

[Ameer67]

Malls, they've been around for a long time. Some are great shopping centers, some are dangerous, some are good for the family. They're all different. So here's what I'm asking while I'm at it: what do you think about malls? Are they a place where you hang out, go shopping, or a place that you'll never go to again?

To me, it's a place to just walk around, think about stuff, and look at how things have changed over the years. This mall I go to is called Ford City. It was (from what I read) the place to get your shopping done to a place where gangs and the likes stay. Still, I go there because of it's history.



Ford City is located about 2 miles away from Midway Airport (Chicagoans should know) on Cicero Ave in the city's southwest side. It started off as a World War 2 defense plant, then became a car manufacturing facility, an airplane engine plant, and then finally a mall.

The mall still has it's 80s looks: the water fountain, the lights, the columns, the arches, etc. (They even play 80s music too!. Not the modern new pop music, thankfully.)



One of the advantages (and disadvantages) of it being a manufacturing plant before it was a mall is the basement, AKA, The Connection.



The Connection stretches 2 miles long and reaches the airport! All underground! But you can't fill 2 miles of stores, obviously; so a large part of it is blocked off. Currently, there are no stores located there anymore. About 4-5 years ago, it used to be booming. It wasn't as busy as upstairs but it definitely wasn't a ghost town like it is now. (Economy is the main player here.)

The Connection was a good place to chill and sit on the benches to listen to music. But one of the biggest problems down in the basement was the lack of security. There would only be one security guard. And one security guard against a large group of people wouldn't turn out nicely.

In late 2012 - early 2013, the mall management forced all stores in the Connection to move upstairs, so that means as of right now, the Connection is empty.

Mall management has tried making the mall more family friendly from what I can tell. They've done some events and done some minor remodeling to the exterior. But I don't think it's working out honestly.

I just hope that they don't change it's retro feeling to it.

Well, I think that's enough about my mall. I'd like to see what you guys think about malls and why. Maybe share a little history too if you would like. Thanks!

 

[xXKingJoshXx]

I go to the local mall for the car shows they have every Friday night. I try not to go inside the mall if I can help it because I don't like being mugged.
I know I already told you this but whatevs lels

 

[Ameer67]

I go to the local mall for the car shows they have every Friday night. I try not to go inside the mall if I can help it because I don't like being mugged.
I know I already told you this but whatevs lels

Is the mall like swarmed with muggers or what?

 

[Slash]

I almost got thrown out by mall cops because I bought a shirt at a store that literally said "Shut the 🤬 up" on the front of it (no censoring ). Although I really wanted to say "then your merchants shouldn't be selling this merchandise if you don't want people wearing it around".

Best part was, I wasn't breaking any "rules" there because they had a list of rules on the door when you walked in and I read them twice. Nothing on it that says I couldn't wear it.

I get the whole courtesy thing, but it was still funny at the time, mainly because it was a joke.

 

[Ameer67]

I almost got thrown out by mall cops because I bought a shirt at a store that literally said "Shut the 🤬 up" on the front of it (no censoring ). Although I really wanted to say "then your merchants shouldn't be selling this merchandise if you don't want people wearing it around".

Best part was, I wasn't breaking any "rules" there because they had a list of rules on the door when you walked in and I read them twice. Nothing on it that says I couldn't wear it.

I get the whole courtesy thing, but it was still funny at the time, mainly because it was a joke.

Uncensored too? Even better!

 

[phillgt2002]

I was never a big fan of malls and the whole walking around stuff that kids did. I did go to the mall a few times with friends and we were either

A. Walking though there with skateboards and scooters being complete posers (middle school)

or

B. Waiting for friends to pick us up; we'd go around and talk to girls and walk into the womens stores and try on Uggs and other ****. Real funny stuff.

Malls are just being phased out by online shopping but they're generally for the people that scream 'look at me' inside of their heads. I used to be like that but I took on the lame ass lifestyle.

(Worst experience with a mall)

I had to go shoe shopping with my mom and sister and I had to walk through this mall that had carpet. For anyone who knows, walking on carpet with shoes on is cumbersome and tiring so I felt like kneeling over on the carpet and passing out from how oddly tired I was because the carpet just felt like it was sucking me in like quicksand. I hate that place so much.

 

[Slash]

Uncensored too? Even better!

100% uncensored.

Like I said, it was a kind of a joke between me and my friends when we were there, basically to see how long it would take before someone said something. I got some funny looks from people, but I managed a whole half hour before the "cops" stopped me. I was literally standing there against a rail on the second floor overlooking the bottom floor and they looked at me twice and turned around and came up to me.

He was like: "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to please turn that shirt inside out"
I looked at him with a blank stare, and I asked why.
Then he got cocky with me. Completely ignored my question as to why I couldn't wear it and gave me a dirty look and was like "Really? Really dude?"
I looked at him again with a blank stare and I was like "Yeah."
He's like "I'm not going to ask you again".

At that point I was starting to make a scene and decided to let it go, but my buddy said he would have stuck up for himself if he did it, which, knowing him, I don't doubt for a second . I wanted to get 🤬 with him for being an ass, when I literally was just standing there watching people walk by, doing nothing else

I went back to my friends place and sold it to him for $10

 

[W3H5]

I hate the places. Most of my experiences in designer outlet malls have been grim. Pointless consumerism in full swing for the most part.

I do enjoy alternative type shopping centres like the computer markets in China I used to browse in often.

 

[AzNTypeR]

I go to the mall that's located out of town, as it is better than shopping in Central London! Although, I do have bad memories of that mall - the main one being that I got lost in it FOUR times in one day when I was around 4 years old.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Although I really wanted to say "then your merchants shouldn't be selling this merchandise if you don't want people wearing it around".

Haha, that would be like buying cigarettes and lighting up immediately, or buying a gun then shooting the place up. You'd need a better excuse than "it's okay, I bought it here!"

 

[daan]

Malls, they've been around for a long time. Some are great shopping centers, some are dangerous, some are good for the family. They're all different.

Nah, once you've seen one, you've seen a mall.

 

[Carlos]

Malls here in the Netherlands are utterly stupid. I'm pretty convinced we, the Netherlands, has the worst costumer service ever. Its really a difference when peoples salaries depend on how much you sell. (The tip system, we don't have that)

 

[Omnis]

Malls used to be amazing. Now they're filled with people that have no business spending money in a mall. In the early 90s, malls were huge in Florida. As time has gone on, however, there's been a shift towards smaller outlet malls. Air conditioning costs must have been killer. The most glorious mall, and one which has a lot of sentimental value to me is the long-dead Fashion Mall here in Florida. My mom would always take me there to go shopping. But I never complained (except when stuck in the big anchor stores) because the mall was such an interesting place. I used to run off and challenge myself to climb through the fountains and water features without getting wet. It was so fun and such a stimulating environment. Just look at it:

That was sort of the central hub part. Imagine that but full of life and happiness. There were no scumbags hanging around malls back then-- just people with families spending money and other kids like me exploring around.

The food court was also glorious. It's so sad to see it as a ghost town now. I'd love to maybe go in there and salvage some stuff before they knock it down. Once Lord and Taylor went out of business, Macy's took off shortly after. They moved into the Burdines in the mall across the street after purchasing that retail chain. When those two anchor stores left, the mall died. The glass roof was a total pain in the ass to maintain, especially after hurricanes. There was always a leak somewhere during the later years. The city also made the mall buy and maintain a ladder truck for the fire department that was capable of service for all four stories of the mall. Fire regulations and general dilapidation killed the mall. It's a shame because there probably won't be another like it. Not down here anyway.

 

[miata13B]

I used to work at that Fashion Mall in Brookstone. It was my second job actually.

As for malls, one of my current bar gigs is working at a restaurant that is attached to a mall's outer square. There are about 5 restaurants in this square which brings good commerce. Personally I do not even enter into the mall at all. I would rather chew up the few extra dollars and help out my local mom and pops store before I go to a "Big Store"

I do how ever have to say that the "scumbags" were hanging around across the street at the Broward Mall. This was probably before your time Omnis, not sure what time period you grew up during. I grew up a few miles away from the Hollywood Mall and at the time of the occurrence I was a few years younger then Adam Walsh but I remember going there with my family. If you do not know who Adam Walsh is he was John Walsh's son. He was abducted from the Sears department store in the Hollywood Mall in 1981 later found dead.

 

[AlvaroF]

The nearest mall is small and safe.

It looks like this:

I go there often because food and cinema and groceries and consumables in general. It's a really nice place to hangout.

 

[XS]

The closest mall to me is the Aurora mall, right next to where the Aurora theater shooting happened. Almost nobody goes to the Aurora mall except gang bangers. It's been that way for almost 20 years. They average about a shooting a month there. So, it once was a magical place when I was a child, now ruined by scum.

 

[Adamgp]

I live less than 10 minutes from the largest mall in Illinois (and 10th largest in the nation). Not a dangerous place, but I absolutely hate going there. Only reason I go is because that is the closest Sears Hardware.

 

[Marisauna]

I don't usually go to the mall, I don't like many of the stores save for the video store. I can't really use the excuse "sensory overload" either, since mine is really small compared to others.
http://www.berkshiremall.com

 

[eSZee]

I once went to the mall in my fiesta and got chased by some wacko in a vette. Never going back.

 

[Parker]

My truck is too wide to fit in between the lines of my local mall here so I don't go anymore. People already park like idiots in their small cars and I'm not going to risk someone putting a hole in my fender just so I can spend some time in a place where a bunch of hipsters hang out.

 

[Omnis]

I used to work at that Fashion Mall in Brookstone. It was my second job actually.

As for malls, one of my current bar gigs is working at a restaurant that is attached to a mall's outer square. There are about 5 restaurants in this square which brings good commerce. Personally I do not even enter into the mall at all. I would rather chew up the few extra dollars and help out my local mom and pops store before I go to a "Big Store"

I do how ever have to say that the "scumbags" were hanging around across the street at the Broward Mall. This was probably before your time Omnis, not sure what time period you grew up during. I grew up a few miles away from the Hollywood Mall and at the time of the occurrence I was a few years younger then Adam Walsh but I remember going there with my family. If you do not know who Adam Walsh is he was John Walsh's son. He was abducted from the Sears department store in the Hollywood Mall in 1981 later found dead.

Oh yeah, definitely. There are always scumbags, but they were not the memory. Know what I mean?

Brookstone is probably my favorite store that I've never bought anything from... ever. Who buys stuff at Brookstone? Seriously...

 

[miata13B]

Oh yeah, definitely. There are always scumbags, but they were not the memory. Know what I mean?

Brookstone is probably my favorite store that I've never bought anything from... ever. Who buys stuff at Brookstone? Seriously...

Guys that buy Porsches, have the Rogaine comb over and botox infused inflatable wives probably.

On another note, the Fashion Mall was a great looking place especially during holiday season.

 

[Ameer67]

I live less than 10 minutes from the largest mall in Illinois (and 10th largest in the nation). Not a dangerous place, but I absolutely hate going there. Only reason I go is because that is the closest Sears Hardware.

Woodfield right? Like you said, it's not a dangerous place. But I find the whole mall in general the prices for everything a tad too high. Must be the tax rate up there.

 

[Slash]

Does anyone else enjoy the large water fountains?

I used to love going to the mall when I was little just to see that. The one here has lights in it and being like 3 years old I would always ask "how they got the fire in that water???"

That, and the risers that shot water out. They were as tall as I was and I was floored. Again, being young, I had no idea "how water just falls out of the air"

It was so foreign to me to see a public place have such a large display of water, inside of all places. 👍

 

[Ameer67]

The one here has lights in it and being like 3 years old I would always ask "how they got the fire in that water???"

So true.

 

[Slash]

So true.

I was soooooo confused, but it was so intriguing. I just wanted to sit there and look at it. It was like a mini-oasis and looking at it just sort of made me go oblivious to everything else going on around me.

 

[Techy]

My mom & my sis are obsessed with malls - seriously. They spend nearly half a day just looking around. I might be sounding a bit stubborn, but they go almost every other day. When I was younger I enjoyed the mall (I particularly liked the fountains) but now I don't unless it's been a while or it's a new one.
The malls around my area are pretty good. The closest one - which is practically a mile - is the baddest one. It just looks so uninspiring and tedious. The mall in Downtown and another near the outskirts are the best ones in my local area.

My family rarely buys, more-so than a bag, anything when we go to a mall. We might buy some food or clothes or the Bath & Body Works stuff girls like but that's it. The majority of the stores I see will break our wallets. Malls are also pretty good to find new clothes, but not so much if you're shopping on a budget. Funnily enough, malls are one of the only places where I have seen the most diverse people in. Plus people who go there are, on way or another, are like investors. It is no wonder why I see so many random advertisers.

There are some stores that are interesting. One that has been brought up is Brookstone. Honestly though, who really buys their products? They have some nice concepts in their products but they price it as if every person who walks in will pay for it instantly. Apart from the mainstream stores, there are one or two unique that have tried to flourish in a mall. I remembered a store that sold Anime / Manga stuff but now it's closed and is replaced by a soap store.

 

[eSZee]

Woodfield right? Like you said, it's not a dangerous place. But I find the whole mall in general the prices for everything a tad too high. Must be the tax rate up there.

Tax is close to 10%, if not more by now, and like he said, things are marked up.

 

[Slash]

I usually go with friends to hang out and look at the expensive stuff I can't have. Maybe catch a movie, go eat out and then just chill.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I try to avoid them if possible. Like @Omnis, I remember them being much different as a kid. Now, they're increasingly depressing and identical. As cliché as it sounds, I'd rather support the smaller local businesses, and I live reasonably close to the boutique/small-shop heavy part of town, so anything I could possibly want is within about 15 minutes.